2. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
•One-syllable adjectives add –er for the
comparative and –est for the superlative.
small
nice
big
warm
hot
smaller smallest
nicer nicest
bigger biggest
warmer warmest
hotter hottest
* We use more and most before words ending in
–ed, e.g. bored > more bored
3. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
•We use more and most with two-syllable
adjectives not ending in –y, and with longer
ones.
careful
boring
famous
exciting
reliable
more careful most careful
more boring most boring
more famous most famous
more exciting most exciting
more reliable most reliable
4. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
•Two-syllable adjectives ending in
consonant + y lose y and add –ier and -iest
busy
happy
dirty
busier busiest
happier happiest
dirtier dirtiest
Some two-syllable adjectives not ending in
“-y” also add -er / -est; e.g. narrow,
clever, gentle, quiet, simple.
5. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
Spelling rules for the –er/-est endings
•Adjectives ending in –e add –r / -st, e.g.
finer, safest, larger
•Adjectives ending in consonant + y lose y
and add –ier / -iest, e.g.
lovelier, luckiest, prettier
•Adjectives ending in a single vowel + single
consonant double the consonant, e.g.
fitter, sadder, thinner, wettest, hottest
6. COMPARISON OF ADVERBS:
•Some adverbs have the same form as
an adjective. They add –er / -est, e.g.
earlier, fastest, harder, highest
•Many adverbs are an adjective + ly.
They form the comparative and
superlative with more / most, e.g.
more easily, most carefully, more
slowly
7. IRREGULAR FORMS:
•Some adjectives / adverbs have irregular
forms:
good/well
bad/badly
far
better best
worse worst
farther farthest
further furthest
We can use elder / eldest instead of older
/ oldest for people in the same family.